Relativistic Quantum Thermodynamics of Ideal Gases in 2 Dimensions

In this work we study the behavior of relativistic ideal Bose and Fermi gases in two space dimensions. Making use of polylogarithm functions we derive a closed and unified expression for their densities. It is shown that both type of gases are essentially inequivalent, and only in the non-relativistic limit the spinless and equal mass Bose and Fermi gases are equivalent as known in the literature.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figur

The decay h0→A0A0h^0 \to A^0A^0: a complete 1-loop calculation in the MSSM

In the minimal supersymmetric standard model the decay $h^0 \to A^0A^0$ of the light neutral scalar $h^0$ is kinematically allowed for low values of $\tan\beta$ when radiative corrections to the neutral Higgs masses are taken into account. The width of this decay mode is revisited on the basis of a complete 1-loop diagrammatic calculation. We give the analytical expressions and numerical results and compare them with the corresponding ones from the simpler and compact approximations of the effective potential method and the renormalization group approach.Comment: 25 pages, LaTex, 10 figures included. Complete ps-file also available via WWW at http://itpaxp1.physik.uni-karlsruhe.de/prep/prep.htm

Launch Risk Acceptability: The Public Speaks

The perspective of those assuming risk has become increasingly important to launch agencies. The IAASS white paper "An ICAO for Space?" proposed four ultimate goals of any international regulatory framework. The first of these was to "Ensure that citizens of all nations are equally protected from "unreasonable levels" of risk from overflight by missiles, launch vehicles and returning spacecraft". A key component of this concept is the issue of what is an "unreasonable level" of risk from the perspective of those assuming the risk

CP sensitive observables in chargino production and decay into a W boson

We study CP sensitive observables in chargino production in electron-positron collisions with subsequent two-body decay of one chargino into a W boson. We identify the CP odd elements of the W boson density matrix and propose CP sensitive triple-product asymmetries of the chargino decay products. We calculate the density-matrix elements, the CP asymmetries and the cross sections in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model with complex parameters \mu and M_1 for an e+ e- linear collider with \sqrt{s} = 800 GeV and longitudinally polarized beams. The asymmetries can reach 7% and we discuss the feasibility of measuring these asymmetries.Comment: 23 pages, 7 figure

Higgs decays in the Two Higgs Doublet Model: Large quantum effects in the decoupling regime

We study the Higgs-boson decays h0 -> b \bar{b}, h0 -> \gamma \gamma and h0 -> \gamma Z within the framework of the Two Higgs Doublet Model (THDM) in the context of the decoupling regime, together with tree level unitarity constraints. We show that when the light CP-even Higgs boson of the THDM mimics the Standard-Model Higgs boson, not only the one-loop effects to h0 -> {\gamma \gamma ,\gamma Z} but also the one-loop contribution to h0 -> b \bar{b} can be used to distinguish between THDM and SM. The size of the quantum effects in h0 -> b \bar{b} are of the same order as in h0 -> {\gamma \gamma ,\gamma Z} and can reach 25% in both cases.Comment: LaTeX, 13 pages, 5 figures. Improved text, added references, appendix removed. Version to appear in PL

Alcoholic Liver Disease in Asia, Europe, and North America

Alcoholic liver diseases comprise a spectrum of clinical disorders and changes in liver tissue that can be detected by pathology analysis. These range from steatosis to more severe signs and symptoms of liver disease associated with inflammation, such as those observed in patients with alcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis. Although the relationship between alcohol consumption and liver disease is well established, severe alcohol-related morbidities develop in only a minority of people who consume alcohol in excess. Inter-individual differences in susceptibility to the toxic effects of alcohol have been studied extensively-they include pattern of alcohol consumption, sex, environmental factors (such as diet), and genetic factors, which vary widely among different parts of the world. Alcoholic liver disease is becoming more common in many parts of Asia, but is decreasing in Western Europe. Treatment approaches, including availability of medications, models of care, and approach to transplantation, differ among regions

Radiative Corrections to the ZbbˉZ b \bar{b} Vertex and Constraints on Extended Higgs Sectors

We explore the radiative corrections to the process $Z \to b \bar b$ in models with extended Higgs sectors. The observables $R_b = \Gamma(Z \to b \bar b)/\Gamma(Z \to \rm{hadrons})$ and the $Z b \bar b$ coupling asymmetry, $A_b = (g_L^2 - g_R^2)/(g_L^2 + g_R^2)$, are sensitive to these corrections. We present general formulae for the one-loop corrections to $R_b$ and $A_b$ in an arbitrary extended Higgs sector, and derive explicit results for a number of specific models. We find that in models containing only doublets, singlets, or larger multiplets constrained by a custodial $SU(2)_{c}$ symmetry so that $M_W = M_Z \cos\theta_W$ at tree level, the one-loop corrections due to virtual charged Higgs bosons always worsen agreement with experiment. The $R_{b}$ measurement can be used to set lower bounds on the charged Higgs masses. Constraints on models due to the one-loop contributions of neutral Higgs bosons are also examined.Comment: 54 pages, 11 figure

Digestion of Repair Sites in Rat Liver DNA by Endogenous Nucleases

The proportion of sheared rat liver DNA recovered from benzoylated DEAE-cellulose in the final stage following stepwise elution with NaCl and caffeine solutions was dependent upon the DNA isolation procedure. An increase in the proportion of DNA containing single stranded regions, consequent upon delay or addition of Mg2+ prior to phenol extraction, suggested nuclease mediated degradation. Administration of methyl methanesulphonate to rats resulted in a consistent proportional increase in the caffeine-eluted fraction. The results of caffeine gradient elution of control and alkylated DNA from benzoylated DEAE-cellulose were consistent with repair-associated single stranded regions being substrates for endogenous single strand-specific exonucleases